Following up Elizabeth Hayley’s The Best Medicine from her Strictly Business series of contemporary romances, this pedometer geek reader next tackled the second novel of the series, Just Say Yes. Both novels were received through a Goodreads giveaway, and this is the extended review of Just Say Yes.

Just Say Yes

by Elizabeth Hayley

Published as a Signet Eclipse novel

by New American Library, 2015

an imprint Penguin Random House, LLC

ISBN: 978-0-451-47553-4

As this reader indicated in the previous review of The Best Medicine, the author is actually two women, known as Elizabeth and Hayley. The writing duo continues by telling the story of two of the ancillary characters introduced in the other novel, but now it is their story, their road to love.

Quinn Sawyer (one of Lauren’s friends) is a good girl, an always playing-it-safe girl, but she wants to break out of (what she considers to be) her boring side. In a moment of frustration, she pitches an idea for an article she wouldn’t mind reading, about getting out of one’s comfort zone. That is, doing things that people wish they had done, but never had the guts to do is the way she puts it to her editor. Having pitched it as an idea, she is stuck because she is now asked to write it.

Enter reformed bad-boy Tim Jacobs (Scott’s older brother), whom Quinn had met and become friends with through Lauren and Scott. Tim volunteers to help her find her inner bad-ass by helping her; in fact, he is more than willing to do this.

Neither realizes how much it will affect the other as Quinn comes up with an off-the-top of her head list of things to do that is well outside her perceived boring life, and Tim holds her to it. Her list includes getting a tattoo and hitchhiking, and for all of items on her list, Tim is going to be supporting her with his presence.

Each has secrets feelings for the other, and both desire a deeper friendship, a deeper relationship. Yet, Tim doesn’t feel he is good enough for her, that he could never be good enough for her, that his previous actions preclude any sort of long-term happiness. Still, Quinn has never been happier as she and Tim become closer through their shared interactions.

Will Quinn release her inner rebel and complete the tasks she has set for herself with Tim’s help and encouragement? Can Tim ever forgive himself for his past and allow Quinn in? Is love possible for these two?

While this reader thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, which was received as an extra book in the giveaway, this was the story that appealed to me more from the outset. Perhaps because of my own innate outward good girl-inner rebel, I could relate to Quinn’s feelings of worrying later about regrets of only living safely, never pushing the boundaries.

Per usual, there were various What-the-tuck trends: Tim was green-eyed (but then so was his brother Scott); hair tucking occurred. On the other hand, these characters, much like Scott and Lauren from the previous novel, were not extremely wealthy; they seemed like average people…people a reader might be friends with if they were to meet in real life. There are some spicy moments throughout the contemporary romance as well as some language, but nothing that bothered this reader.

Making changes and redemption, second chances and looking beyond the surface were a few of the reasons that make the book enjoyable. Humorous moments are interspersed with moments of reflection, but no elaboration is included to avoid spoiling the plot. This reader’s suggestion is this: Just say yes…to reading it.

An addendum: from page 192: “Most of them had large holes in their ears, stretched by metal rings, and a few of them weren’t wearing shirts.” For those who aren’t aware of this practice, the stretching of ear lobes is called gauging(having been informed by my younger son a dozen or so years ago when I asked), but the author doesn’t label it as such. Perhaps the duo, who pens these novels under the pseudonym of Elizabeth Hayley, didn’t have the same enlightenment as my son provided me (Thanks Mark for teaching me oh-so-long-ago!).

Having read the first two novels in the series, this pedometer geek reader looks forward to reading the next book, The Wedding Arrangement, as well as reading their self-published series called The Pieces Series, which helped launch their traditionally published career with Signet Eclipse.

This pedometer geek reader has always enjoyed reading romances ever since reading TheFlame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss way back when, and it was just the first of many of her and other romance authors’ novels that this reader devoured. In fact, one of my roommates in college and I always said we were going to collaborate and write one ourselves, jokingly titled Lust in the Bushes as we figured we’d read enough to understand the genre. I mention this only because the latest Advanced Reader’s Copy received through a Goodreads giveaway this pedometer geek read was TheBest Medicine by Elizabeth Hayley. Two friends, Elizabeth and Hayley, have been writing romances together since 2013. This is the extended review of The Best Medicine.

The Best Medicine

by Elizabeth Hayley

Published by Signet Eclipse, 2015

an imprint of New American Library,

a division of Penguin Group (USA), LLC

ISBN: 978-0-451-47552-7

Commitment-phobes may relate to this spicy contemporary romance. Dr. Scott Jacobs and Lauren Hastings both have no problem with no-strings-attached sex, but neither wants a true relationship…until they both do.

When they first meet, there is pure chemistry between them, but each of them has reasons for not committing to the other. In fact, from the time they first meet (he has hired her sight unseen through her mother’s connections to help out in his practice while she pays off unexpected debts caused by a rash action), he cautions her that she is notto fall in love…that love is a deal breaker for him. On her part, she purposely decides to drive him crazy with her flirty style as they become friends as well as co-workers.

Too many issues from of their individual pasts have made them both skittish, yet all their actions say something different as they get to know each other better. Letting down walls, sharing confidences, and more leads to love, whether they expected it to happen or not. Coincidentally, Lauren (Lo) is taking a psychology course, The Psychology of Intimate Relationships, as she works toward completing her master’s degree in psychology. Along the way, she recognizes that they are in a real relationship, one that is encompasses all the knowledge and information that she is learning in her class.

But will Scott come to the same conclusion–that he loves her, and wants to be together permanently? Or will their issues destroy their chance at happiness? Does the past have such a pull that neither can move forward? Or as the last line of the back cover blurb says: “After all, who wants to risk the perfect relationship on something as terrifying, as messy, or as unpredictable as love?”

I loved the chapter titles which are all medical conditions; and many are psychological conditions, and all relate to the text especially as the relationship develops. What Lauren learns in her class correlates to what is happening in their developing relationship, and makes for a satisfying conclusion of their romance. Moreover, there is a definite (and humorous) arc to this story.

Per usual, there are a few What-the-tuck trends: Scott has emerald green eyes; he tucks her hair behind her ear. Yet, WTT trends aside, there are snappy, but realistic conversations between the pair as well as the other ancillary characters (her friends, his friends, and their families). Only one minor gaffe on page 188 had me re-reading the passage. Lauren sits down on his couch twice. To quote, “Lauren walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.” Three paragraphs later (with no movement by her other than wrapping her hands around her coffee cup), it says, “Finally, she made her way further into his apartment and took a seat on the couch.” That, and a few typos, didn’t really interrupt the flow of the story.

This is the first book in a series of romances (about four best friends looking for love in all the right places) written by the co-authors. The next book in A Strictly Business Novel series is Just Say Yes, and this reader has just begun reading it. So far, this reader is enjoying it as much as The Best Medicine. While Lauren and Scott make appearances in the novel, it is primarily another couple’s story. It was received through the same giveaway, and it will be reviewed after completion.

Now, back to Just Say Yes, and maybe convincing Jan to say yes to finally writing our own.